Who Could She Be?
by AaronCottrell97
Summary: The first female engines to arrive on the Island of Sodor where Daisy and Mavis, both of whom were diesel engines. Upon meeting these two ladies, Thomas begins to wonder if a female steam engine will ever make her way to Sodor.


One fine evening, Emily was idling at Wellsworth Station under a setting sun. She and Thomas both had a simple day. Not too much work, not too little work, just another normal day on Sodor. She was thinking of seeing Thomas to enjoy the evening with him, when Percy came to the station with the mail.

"Hello, mother," he said innocently.

"Hello, Percy," smiled Emily. "Have you seen Thomas? I'd like to be with him."

"Yes, I did, Emily. He's back at Tidmouth Sheds. He seemed rather occupied with thought," said Percy. "But I'm sure he'll want to see you."

"Thank you, Percy," said Emily as she set off for the sheds. When she arrived, she saw Thomas already settled in his berth. Percy was right. He did seem lost in thought. Emily wondered what he could be thinking, so she crossed the turntable and buffered up to him. Thomas didn't seem to notice. He was still staring off into a blank mind.

"Hello, Thomas," Emily said. Thomas' stare broke and he looked at his angel.

"Oh, hi, Emily," he said.

"I could tell you were wondering something, Thomas," said Emily.

"I was, Emily. It was a very fond memory…" answered Thomas.

"What might that be?" asked Emily.

"I was thinking, Emily…about all the female engines I've met in my life," said Thomas. "I remember the female engines who came after you…but it also made me think about when I first began wondering when I would see a female steam engine for the first time."

"You did?" asked Emily. "Did you really wonder if female engines existed?"

"Yes, my angel," said Thomas. "Of course, there are other female steamies besides you. Molly, Rosie and Caitlin. They're all lovely and friendly engines, but before you came along, the first two female engines I met were both diesels."

"Sorry to hear," said Emily.

"Don't be, Emily," said Thomas. "I'm talking about Daisy and Mavis. Daisy certainly has a lot to learn, but you know Mavis is a good friend."

"When did you start wondering about female steamies, Thomas?" Emily asked.

"When I first came to Sodor, obviously, my friends were all male, and I didn't think very much about female engines to begin with. I thought about angels that one Christmas after Terence helped me, but other than that, I just went about my work and tried to enjoy myself…that is until after I came back from my accident running into that stationmaster's house and ruining his breakfast. In my absence, Daisy came to cover my work with Percy and Toby."

"So she's the first one you saw?" asked Emily.

"Yes," said Thomas. "I came back and saw her while Percy was sent for repairs…I remember her…" Thomas' memories started to carry him into the past…

* * *

Percy had just had his accident and put the branch line in an awkward predicament. The Fat Controller was cross with Percy for causing the confusion, and he was also cross with Daisy for her lazy disobedience.

"My engines do not tell lies!" The Fat Controller snapped. "They work hard with no shirking! I send lazy engines away!" Daisy was ashamed.

"However," he went on. "Toby says you worked hard after Percy's accident…so you shall have another chance."

"Thank you, sir," said Daisy. "I'll work hard sir. Toby says he'll help me."

"Excellent! What Toby doesn't know about branch line problems isn't worth knowing," the Fat Controller said with a laugh. "Our Toby's an experienced engine!"

The next day, Thomas came back, and Percy was sent to be mended. Annie and Clarabel were delighted to see Thomas again and he took them for a run at once.

"I missed you two, your ladyships," said Thomas.

"We missed you too," said Annie and Clarabel.

"So, this diesel railcar…did he help run the branch line…or did he cause confusion and delay?" asked Thomas.

"This diesel is a lady, Thomas," corrected Annie.

Thomas was slightly shocked. "Say that again," he said quickly.

"We said this diesel is a lady," said Clarabel. "Her name is Daisy."

"Daisy…" murmured Thomas as he rolled along the line. He had never seen a female engine of any kind before and wondered what she would look like. He imagined a feminine face of course, blush and eyelashes like he saw on women sometimes. Soon he met Daisy at a station, and she really caught his eye. She indeed had an obvious feminine face, blush and eyelashes. Although she was a diesel, Thomas found himself rather interested as he stopped at the platform.

"Hello, madam," he said carefully.

Daisy looked and saw the blue tank engine. "Hello, little tank engine," she greeted. "You're Thomas, I presume?"

"Yes," said Thomas. "Are you Daisy?"

"That I am," she replied. "I was brought here to work in your place after you had to have your front mended."

"So you're a diesel railcar…" inquired Thomas. "I see you can carry passengers without needing coaches. Quite interesting."

"Thank you, kind engine," smiled Daisy. "It's nice meeting you, Thomas."

"Nice meeting you, Daisy," said Thomas. As he huffed on down the line, he could feel a sense of excitement and wonder within him.

 _"So female engines do exist…"_ he thought. " _She's a diesel…what about a female steamie?"_

Thomas was still thinking when he met Toby back in the yards.

"Hello, Thomas. It's nice to see you back," said Toby.

"Thank you, Toby," said Thomas. "I need to catch up on what happened…so how was Daisy?"

Toby told Thomas everything. "Well, at first, after you went to be repaired, we didn't know for sure what she was gonna be like. After the trouble Diesel got Duck into, we didn't feel completely comfortable having a diesel work with us. Percy asked if she'd go once you returned. The Fat Controller told us that it would depend. He told us to escort her to a shed so she'd be comfortable after her journey. But she complained that it was smelly and 'bad for her swerves.' Don't ask me why."

"What swerves?" asked Thomas. "It seems out of place."

Toby went on. "We took her to a carriage shed where Annie, Clarabel and Henrietta were kept, and she called them rubbish."

This made Thomas cross. "Why that…" he hissed.

"Easy, Thomas," said Toby. "Let me tell you all of it. The following morning, Daisy tried showing off to the passengers until I gave her a milk van to pull. She shuddered so that she blew a fuse, but bluffed that her fitter said she is highly sprung. In the end, the milk was left behind while Daisy decided she'd do the work that she pleased."

"Diesels…diesels…" Thomas panted with annoyance. "What happened next?"

"Percy volunteered to take my trucks while I took his and Daisy's work. The trucks didn't like this and they bumped him right into another train and perched him on another truck. The Fat Controller was cross at him for swapping jobs and he berated Daisy for her laziness. But she actually worked hard to clear the wreckage, so she was given another chance, to which she promised to work hard with my help."

"Oh. Well, that's very good," said Thomas. He felt better now. Then he remembered his thoughts after meeting her.

"Toby…I see that Daisy is a lady…"

"Yes," said Toby. "Why ask?"

"Well…do you think female steam engines exist?"

"I wouldn't know, Thomas. No one ever seems to talk about it, but perhaps they're just very hard to come by. I suppose if there are female diesels and coaches then there must be female steam engines as well," said Toby.

"Possible…" whispered Thomas. He closed his eyes and tried to picture a female steamie in his mind…He imagined her having lovely curves and beautiful paintwork. He imagined her being deep blue, or emerald green. He tried to imagine a kind, gentle personality, unlike a diesel. Then he tried to imagine a lovely voice for her. A very soft, kindly voice that sounded motherly and loving. It seemed like a beautiful idea, but he wondered if and when he would ever see such beauty.

 _"It would be lovely,"_ he thought. _"But when will I see her?"_ Thomas spent quite a time thinking about these possibilities, on into the night…

* * *

"Thomas?" Emily asked, making Thomas fall back to the moment. "How long did you think about female steam engines?" asked Emily.

"I continued to think about it for a few days, but then I decided to rest those thoughts for another time…then one day, Mavis came to Sodor to work with Toby, and that made me start thinking again…" And Thomas began to remember the next female engine he met…

* * *

Toby had been working in the quarry for quite some time. But as the quarry grew busier, he found that he needed some help. The Fat Controller promised to find an engine as soon as he could. Soon, Thomas heard about another engine coming to Sodor who would help Toby. He heard that the engine was waiting at Maithwaite Station, being told how to get to the quarry.

Thomas went to meet this engine. When he arrived at Maithwaite, he saw the engine was yet another female, which caught his attention again. Unlike Daisy, she looked younger and much friendlier. She was a black diesel engine with yellow and black stripes on her front and back. She even had six, small wheels hidden by side plates just like Toby's. When Thomas saw her, his mind began to rethink his images of a female steam engine…

"Hello," said the diesel. "I'm Mavis."

"H-hello, Mavis. I'm Thomas," he replied.

"You're a cute one," smiled Mavis. "Nice coat of blue."

"Uh…thanks," he said, slightly shy. "So, are you to help Toby at the quarry?"

"Yes, Thomas," said Mavis. "I'm very good at arranging trucks, and I have plenty of ideas. I hope Toby will like my help."

"Come on, Mavis. Toby will be waiting," said her driver. She blew her horn and set off for the quarry. Thomas watched as she oiled down the line and around the bend.

"Another female…" he said. "And another diesel…she looks much friendlier than Daisy…more like a steam engine would be…" Seeing Mavis made Thomas start picturing a female steamie again.

"Two ladies…that means there must be more out there. I just want to meet a beautiful steam engine...who could she be? Will I ever see her?" Thomas went on his way to start work, staring at the clouds, thinking and thinking if he'd ever meet a female steamie. And although he didn't fully understand love, he began to get a strange feeling in his mind again, and he smiled happily.

"One day, I'll meet the perfect angel. I can't tell when, but she'll come for me…" he murmured as he huffed on down the track…

* * *

As Thomas finished reliving that memory, he smiled at his angel. "I have both those engines to thank for inspiring me…" Emily smiled happily as Thomas spoke again.

"And then, at long last…you came and I met you, Emily. I never imagined any engine as beautiful as you…and I can't thank you enough for making me so happy," he said proudly.

Emily smiled and softly touched her cheeks to his. "You're more than welcome, Tommy. And I can't thank you enough either, for making me the happiest angel ever to be."

"You're welcome too, Emily," said Thomas. "I may be the happiest tank engine ever. I love you, Emily, my beautiful emerald angel." And he gently kissed her cheek and smiled.

"I love you too, Thomas," smiled Emily as she kissed his cheek too. "All I ever need to be happy is you, my handsome cobalt star." The two engines then giggled happily and smiled as they enjoyed a fine evening together.

* * *

OK, I've held off on it long enough, it's finally time to settle down and start working on "A Cracked Ruby", this may take a while as I still haven't fully figured this one out, but as I said it's been long enough, I need to get this one done now, and the story afterwards will probably be just as long. So as usual leave your reviews and I hope you look forward to "A Cracked Ruby."


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